The present invention relates generally to hand-type carts for moving objects, and more particularly, relates to an all-terrain, foldable, motorized, steerable, wheeled or track-driven cart for lifting and moving heavy objects, such as a snowmobile.
The background information discussed below is presented to better illustrate the novelty and usefulness of the present invention. This background information is not admitted prior art.
Track-drives of snowmobiles require an appreciable amount of traction to move heavy snowmobile over terrain covered by snow and ice. Thus, snowmobile rubber tracks usually are fitted with heavy duty studs made of a hard material, such as titanium or other materials of similar hardness to attain the friction required. Titanium hardness can equal or exceed that of stainless steel. While the studs effectively supply the required traction, when the snowmobile is moved over other surfaces the studs are the floor on which they sit can be compromised. For example, snowmobiles are frequently stored in garages having concrete or cement floors and if a snowmobile having studded drive tracks were to be moved with the studs in direct contact with the floor, the floor is likely to suffer considerable damage. In order to move the snowmobile and to protect the floor, the snowmobile should be lifted off of the floor while it is being moved. Typical snowmobiles, however, weigh between about 400 and 600 pounds. Their weight combined with their elongate shape makes lifting a snowmobile impossible for even a strong single person and exceedingly difficult for two. It would be desirable, therefore, to have a means to move snowmobiles that would provide for moving the snowmobile without the snowmobile studs damaging the surface upon which they rest. It would be even more desirable if the means would allow safe movement of the snow mobile by one person.
There have been some attempts to provide for snowmobile lift carts, but the results of these attempts are limited. In each case, once the cart lifts the snowmobile off of the floor, it is exceedingly difficult, if not effectively impossible, to maneuver the snowmobile because presently available carts offer no steering aid mechanism and the drive power is manual. Additionally, the presently available carts cannot provide for moving lifted objects over terrain that is not a smooth surface, such as a garage floor or a smoothly surfaced driveway.